Latin Roots: Argentine Rock

Today's Latin Roots co-host, Josh Norek, was given a hefty task: Define the broad swath of Argentine rock with just a few bands. But Norek, co-host of The Latin Alternative, is up to the occasion precisely because he spent time in Buenos Aires as a student during a vibrant period for music.

He begins by playing a classic from Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, a band that incorporated ska influences into its early work in the 1980s. That was at a time when rock in Argentina was moving beyond Anglo imitations, incorporating Latin influences and, as Norek suggests, even becoming dangerous. Norek also delves into the indie-rock sound of Babasonicos and Banda de Turistas' Argentine spin on British rock.